|  | 5.1 | The Network Layer Basics
| 5.1.2 | Path determination
The path determination function enables a router to evaluate the available paths to a destination and to establish the best path for routing a packet. Routing refers to the process of choosing the best path over which to send packets and how to cross multiple physical networks. This is the basis of all Internet communication. Most routing protocols simply use the shortest and best path, but they use different methods to find the shortest and best path. The sections that follow explain some of the ways routing protocols find the shortest and best paths. Packet routing in a network is similar to traveling by car. Routers, through the use of protocols, make path decisions based on routing tables, and people driving cars determine their paths examining maps, analyzing road conditions and reading road signs.
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